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SpaceClaim Makes 3D CAD Debut
New tool sports user interface advancements and flexible modeling capabilities
Beth Stackpole, Contributing Editor -- Design News, April 29, 2007
Does the design world need yet another 3D CAD tool? Start up SpaceClaim Corp. is betting it does with the recent launch of its SpaceClaim Professional 2007, which aims to put 3D capabilities in the hands of designers and engineers not skilled in traditional 3D parametric CAD packages.
SpaceClaim Professional 2007, which was released on March 30, couples a modern user interface based on Microsoft Vista and Office 2007 with flexible modeling technology to reduce much of the complexity associated with traditional 3D parametric CAD tools. “Why do we need a new CAD company — my answer is we don’t, if it’s like all others,” quipped Michael Payne, CEO of the newly formed SpaceClaim, of Concord, MA. Payne, formerly of Dassault Systemes and a co-founder of both PTC and SolidWorks Corp., founded SpaceClaim in 2005 along with a handful of other executives who also have impressive track records in industry-leading CAD companies. “We’re different in that we’ve extended the use of 3D beyond those people using traditional parametric systems.”
According to SpaceClaim, there are more than 5 million people worldwide involved in mechanical design, but only one-fifth of those are able to tap into the benefits of existing 3D CAD tools because they’re lacking the expertise and training to take advantage of the software. SpaceClaim Professional 2007 will appeal to this untapped audience, Payne maintains, by providing an array of tools and user interface enhancements that allow for sophisticated modeling without having to have knowledge of sophisticated commands.
SpaceClaim Professional 2007’s highly adaptive design environment makes it suitable for many in the design process, from conceptual engineers to those doing design analysis or preparing designs for manufacturing, company officials say. The software supports geometric inferencing to highlight design similarities to aid in the creation of geometry, for example, and an integrated workspace for parts and assemblies supports top-down design, letting users alter assembly structures as needed.
On the user interface front, SpaceClaim Professional 2007 offers a SmartTools feature, which understands the user’s modeling intent by recognizing geometries that are selected and in what context. This helps eliminate excessive drop-down menus and user clicks that characterize many traditional CAD programs, SpaceClaim officials explain, which can aid in improving productivity.
While SpaceClaim’s intent to promote the use of 3D CAD without excessive training is to be applauded, its focus on non-parametric capabilities could be confusing to many, notes Ken Versprille, PLM research director at Collaborative Product Development Associates (CPDA) headquartered in Stamford, CT. “For the last 20 years, the industry has been saying parametrics and feature-based CAD is good, and now they’re sending a different message,” he says. “Their approach is a complement to feature-based CAD programs, and the best systems will have both.”
SpaceClaim Professional 2007 will be available for $125 per month, per user, based on a three-year term. The company is also offering a one-year term for a slightly higher fee. The license term includes support and updates as well as a complimentary Home Edition and Viewer.
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 SpaceClaim Professional 2007 combines flexible modeling capabilities with a modern Office 2007-style interface to make 3D CAD capabilities more accessible to an extended design chain. |
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